Staff, parents, students, district leaders, school board members and community members can celebrate the selection of Rancho Milpitas Middle School as one of California's seven 2011 Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage. By their re-designation, Rancho Milpitas is being recognized as a high-performing middle grade school through the state and national program.

"We are thrilled to have received this recognition," said Principal Villa. "Our staff and students have worked very hard in an exciting and challenging middle school program to demonstrate strong student achievement. This re-designation is an affirmation of the fine work so many have done in the school, district and larger community."

The school will receive their official state re-designation at a ceremony to take place in Sacramento on February 24 before receiving their national recognition award in Washington, D.C., on June 24. Dr. Irvin Howard, director of California's Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage program, noted, "Rancho Milpitas Middle School is a model of what an outstanding middle school can be. School leaders from across the state will now turn to Rancho Milpitas Middle School for guidance on improving their programs to better serve their students."

Rancho Milpitas Middle School serves 7th - 8th grade students in the Milpitas Unified School District. California's Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage program uses a competitive, rigorous review process to identify high performing, high impact middle schools so that all middle schools may have models of real-world success.

The program is provided by the California Middle Grades Alliance, which includes the California League of Middle Schools (CLMS; the lead agency), California Department of Education, and other statewide educational organizations. For more information contact Dr. Irvin Howard, director, at (951) 318-7515 or STWCAL@gmail.com.